The present invention relates generally to the field of fabric or paper converting processes and machinery, and more particularly to a system and method for producing folded articles.
Folding systems are generally used for folding and stacking products such as napkins, towels and/or other paper or fabric products. For example, one method for producing a folded product includes longitudinally folding a web by passing the web through or over a plow or similar V-shaped plate. The web is then passed through a series of rollers and transversely cut into discrete segments. Thereafter, through the use of a set of folding rollers, an intermediate portion of the web segment is gripped, generally by vacuum, and drawn between the folding rollers, thereby causing the web to fold on itself transversely. The web segment may also be transferred through additional sets of folding rollers to perform additional transverse folding operations. The web products are thereafter horizontally or vertically stacked with other web products.
To increase efficiency, a double-wide parent roll may also be used to produce two folded web products simultaneously. For example, the double-wide parent roll may be slit longitudinally into web halves and each web half simultaneously processed using a duplicate series of rollers to produce a pair of folded web products. The pair of folded web products may then be superposed and stacked with other superposed pairs of folded web products. The stacks of folded web products may then be delivered into a magazine for subsequent packaging.
Prior fabric folding systems and methods suffer several disadvantages. For example, prior systems generally do not readily accommodate producing a folded web product having a particular length and width from various sizes of web material. Additional folding operations are generally required to reduce the length and/or width of the web material to produce the particular size web product. Thus, additional folding and/or cutting rollers are generally required, thereby increasing the cost, complexity and size of the folding system.
Additionally, prior systems generally require repeated transfer of the web segments between sets of folding rollers to perform additional complex folding operations. For example, the web segments are generally transversely folded using one set of folding rollers and transferred to additional sets of folding rollers to perform additional transverse folding operations. Thus, misfeed of the web segments may result each time the web segment is transferred between sets of folding rollers, especially during high speed folding operations, thereby causing a cessation in system operation.
Further, prior systems do not readily accommodate individual packaging of a web product or pair of web products. For example, prior systems generally produce vertical or horizontal stacks of folded web products. The stacks are then subsequently divided into smaller stacks of a specified count for subsequent handling and packaging.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a system and method for producing folded articles that accommodates individual packaging of folded web products and producing a particular size of web products from various sizes of web material. The present invention provides a system and method for producing folded articles that address the shortcomings of prior systems and methods.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for producing folded articles includes a cutting station operable to segment a fabric web into a continuous stream of individual web segments. The system also includes a rotary folder comprising a plurality of folding rollers. The rotary folder rotates about an axis spaced apart from axes of the folding rollers. The rotary folder is operable to receive the web segments at a first location and fold the web segments one or more times while rotating from the first location to a second location about the rotary folder axis. The system also includes a transfer station operable to receive the folded web segments from the rotary folder at the second location and deliver the folded web segments to a third location.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for producing folded articles includes segmenting a fabric web into a continuous stream of individual web segments. The method includes receiving the web segments at a rotary folder. The rotary folder comprises a plurality of folding rollers. The method also includes rotating the folding roller from a first location to a second location about an axis spaced apart from axes of the folding rollers. The system further includes folding the web segments one or more times using the rotary folder as the rotary folder rotates from the first location to the second location.
The technical advantages of the present invention include providing a system for producing folded articles that produces folded articles having a particular length and width from various sizes of web material. For example, according to one aspect of the present invention, a rotary folder is operable to transversely fold the articles one or more times, and a folding drum is operable to receive the articles from the rotary folder and longitudinally fold the articles one or more times.
Additionally, the present invention provides increased folding operations in a generally compact folding station. For example, according to one aspect of the present invention, a rotary folder is operable to receive a web segment at a first location and fold the web segment at least three times during rotation of the rotary folder before delivering the folded web segment to a second location.
Another technical advantage of the present invention includes providing a system for producing folded articles that delivers the folded articles at a predetermined spacing to accommodate individual packaging of the folded articles. For example, according to one aspect of the present invention, a stripper belt decelerates the folded articles to adjust the spacing between successive folded articles. The system then delivers the folded articles at the predetermined spacing to match a packaging registration.